As wireless networks evolve and grow, there are ongoing challenges in providing high-quality service to increasing numbers of wireless devices or user equipment (UE) in various coverage areas of a wireless network. One approach to improving service quality and coverage is to deploy small access nodes, such as mini-macro access nodes, that are configured to function as relay nodes for relaying communication from a macro base station or eNodeB, that functions as a donor access node, to an end-user wireless device. Relay nodes may be used at the edge of a coverage area of a donor access node to improve coverage and/or service, as well as in crowded areas having a high number of other wireless devices to increase the available throughput to the end-user wireless devices being relayed.
Currently, donor access nodes are limited in their ability to distinguish a relay node from a standard wireless device attached to the donor access node and, therefore, allocate the same default buffer size to all devices connected thereto. However, the buffer allocation of the relay node can get overwhelmed due to the number and/or bandwidth requirements of end-user wireless devices attached to the relay node, particularly when the default buffer allocation is sized for standard wireless devices. This can cause packet losses and other signal degradation on the backhaul link between the relay node and the donor access node, thereby reducing the quality of service (QoS) for end-user wireless devices attached to the relay node.